Collapsible tube closure and method for making the same



Sept. 13, 1938-. J. HANSEN 2,129,687

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 19, 1957 Patented Sept. 13, 1938 PATENT OFFIQE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME James Hansen, Flushing, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to Gustav Drews, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 19, 1937, Serial No. 121,255

18 Claims.

' This invention relates to discharge control valves, particularly to collapsible tube closures and to the method of making the same.

Among the objects of the present invention, it is aimed to provide an improved collapsible tube closure and a method for making the same, which closure has a spiral valve seat and thread corresponding in pitch to one another as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 68,855 filed March 14, 1936 and which closure comprises a neck having an internal thread forming flange and an inclined spiral seat on the edge of the neck, and a cap having an external thread to cooperate with said internal thread and a spiral face to ride on said spiral seat.

The method of forming this closure consists essentially in providing an'internal thread forming flange on the neck ofthe tube and a valve seat on the edge of the neck, and a spiral face on the cap with an internal axially extending flange to clear the thread forming flange of the neck when assembling and moldable'to be bent around the thread forming flange of said neck by an expanding tool or the like preferably introduced through the inside of the tube.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the upper part of a tube equipped with the present improved closure in closed position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tube equipped with the present improved closure in dispensing position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental section detached of the closure parts before initial assembling;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental section of the closure parts after final assembling;

, Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig.4;

i Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective of the cap before initial assembling;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective of the washer or yieldable seat detached; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmental perspective of the tube before assembling.

In the embodiment shown, there is illustrated a tube body I having a diminished neck 2 at one end and a clinched plate 3 closing the other or lower end of the body I. The neck], see particularly Figs. 3, 6 and 7, has a spiral seat 4 slightly inclined downwardly toward the center of the body I and extending inwardly'to form a shoulder 5 beyond the inner periphery 6 of the neck 2.

This extended seat portion also extends from the highest point of the spiral seat to the lowest point, see the extendedportion I which performs an important function in anchoring the cap to the neck. The spiral seat 4 preferably consists of a single convolution in which the ends of the convolution are connected by the aforesaid extended portion 1.

The cap 9 has a cylindrical outer contour and a finger engaging flange ortab Ill preferably extending diametrically across the outer upper face. The cap 8 when initially mounted or shaped, see Figs. 3 and 8, preferably has a spiral face II and preferably formed in a single convolution with the ends thereof connected by the inclined face I2. The faces II and I2 preferably have a continuous outer flange I3 of uniform height throughout and an inner flange I4 substantially equal in height to the height of the flange I3 at the portion I5 extending from the uppermost point of the spiral face I I for a distance of about one-fourth of the length of the face II and the remaining portion I6 of the flange I4 being at least twice the height of the portion I5 for the purposes hereinafter to be described.

Shaped to conform to the faces II and I2, there is provided the washer I1 constituting a seal between the cap 9 and neck 2. This washer Il may be composed of any suitable yieldable material suchas cork, a cork compound or the like.

It will here be noted that when the seal I'I is squeezed into place, it will be anchored between the flanges I3 and I4 and extend, along the inclined face I2 to the extreme inner edge of the cap wall where the inner flange is interrupted. After the sea] I! has been secured in place then the cap 9 with its flange portion I6 still extending axially is passed into the neck 2, before the tube is filled and while the lower end is still open. It will then only be necessary, preferably after the cap 9 has been turned to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, to bend the flange portion I6- outwardly against the shoulder 5 when a thread will be formed parallel to the spiral seat 4. The bending of the flange portion I6 may be effected by any suitable tool, such as an expansion tool or the like inserted through the lower open end of the body I.

' When the portion I6 is so bent outwardly, see particularly Fig. 6, the outwardly bent edge of the portion I6 will cooperate with the extended portion 1 to form a limiting stop for the rotation of the cap into open position, that shown in Fig. 2 and in turn to serve as an anchoring means permanently to anchor the cap 9 to the neck 2. Thereupon, after making sure that the cap 9 has been turned into closed position, the body I while inverted may be filled and then a substantially smooth cylindrical surface will be presented with the cap and neck portions, in the interest of the appearance of the'article and in,

the interest of facilitating the cleaning of the neck and cap after use.

It is obvious that various changes and modiflcations may be made to the details of construction and in the steps of the method without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat and an internal screw thread formed adjacent said spiral seat, of a cap having aspiral face conforming to said spiral seat, and an external screw thread formed on said cap to engage said first thread.

2. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming .tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat and an inwardly extending thread guiding flange formed adjacent said spiral seat, of a cap having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, and an external screw thread formed along the inner edge of said spiral face to engage said first thread.

3. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a single convolution spiral seat with a connecting surface intervening between the ends of said spiral seat and a flange extending inwardly from said spiral seat and said connecting surface, the flange along said spiral seat constituting a thread and the flange along said connecting surface constituting a stop, of a cap having a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, and an axially extending flange at the inner end of said spiral face moldable to be bent around the thread forming flange of said body after said cap has been positioned on said body to screW-threadedly connect said cap to said body and to cooperate with said stop to define the extent of opening to be formed and to permanently anchor said cap to said body. I

4. In a discharge controlvalve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat with a connecting surface between the ends of said spiral seat, a flange extending inwardly from said spiral seat and said connecting surface, the flange along said spiral seat constituting a thread and the flange along said connecting surface constituting a stop, of a cap having a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, axially extending flanges along the inner and outer edges of said spiral face, and a washer positioned on said spiral face between said flanges, the inner flange moldable to be bent around the thread forming flange of said body after said cap has been positioned on said body to screw-threadedly connect said cap to said body and to cooperate with said stop to define the extent of opening to be formed and to permanently anchor said cap to said body.

5. In a discharge control valve, the combinastituting a thread and the flange along said connecting surface constituting a stop, of a cap having a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, axially extending flanges along the inner and outer edges of said spiral face, and a washer positioned on said spiral face between said flanges, a portion of said inner flange moldable to be bent around the thread forming flange of said body'after said cap has been positioned on said bodyv to screw-threadedly connect said cap to said body and to cooperate with said stop to define the extent of opening to be formed and to permanently anchor said cap to said body.

6. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat with a connecting surface between the ends of said spiral seat, and an internal screw thread formed adjacent said spiral seat, of a cap having a spiral face and connecting face conforming to the spiral seat and connecting surface of said body, an external screw thread formed on said cap to engage said first thread,

and a washer conforming to and secured to said spiral face and connecting face.

7. In a'discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat and connecting surface, and an in-;

wardly extending thread guiding flange formed adjacent said spiral seat and connecting face, of a cap having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral face and a connecting face connecting the ends of said spiral face to conform to said spiral seat and connecting surface,

an external thread formed along the inner edge of said spiral face to engage said first thread, and a yieldable substance conforming to and secured to said spiral face and connecting face.

8. The method of anchoring'a cap partly tubular to a collapsible tube free partially to rotate relativeto one another into open and closed position in which the body is open at its lower end before being filled and the upper end is tubular consisting in forming a spiral seat along the tubular free edge of the tube with a surface connecting the ends of the spiral seat and forming a flange extending inwardly from the spiral seat and connecting surface, forming. a spiral face,

flange of said spiral seat.

9. The method of anchoring a cap partly tubular to a collapsible tube free partially to rotate relative to one another into open and closed position in which the body is open at its lower end before being filled and the upper end is tubular consisting in forming a spiral seat along the tubular free edge of the tube. with a surface connecting the ends of the spiral seat and forming a flange extending inwardly from the spiral seat and con connecting the ends of said spiral face, and forming an axially extending moldable flange along the inner edge of said spiral face, thereupon securing a washer on said spiral face and connect- .ing face, then positioning the cap on said spiral seat and then inserting an expansion tool through the lower open end of the body and pressing the axially extending flange around the inwardly extending flange of said spiral seat.

10. In a discharge control valve, the. combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat and an internal screw thread, of a cap having a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, and an external screw thread formed on said cap to engage said first thread.

11. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral seat and an inwardly extending thread guiding flange, of a cap having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a spiral face conforming to said spiral seat, and an external screw thread formed along the inner edge of said spiral face to engage said first thread.

12. The method of anchoring a moldable metal tube cap portion to a moldable metal tube portion for a limited axial movement to form a permanently connected closure for an opening between the cap and tube consisting in forming a spiral seat along the tubular free edge of the tube with a surface connecting the ends of the spiral seat and a flange extending inwardly from the spiral seat and connecting surface, forming a spiral face along the free edge of the cap with a second face connecting the ends of said spiral face, forming an axially extending flange along the inner edge of" said spiral face, thereupon positioning the cap on the spiral seat, and then exercising an outward pressure on the axially extending flange to roll such flange around the inwardly extending flange of said spiral seat.

13. The method of anchoring a moldable metal tubular cap portion to a moldable metal tube portion for a limited axial movement to form a permanently connected closure for an opening between the cap and tube consisting in forming an inwardly extending fiage constituting a spiral thread and a portion connecting the ends thereof, forming a spiral face on the cap with a second face connecting the ends of the spiral face forming an axially extending flange along the edge of said spiral face, thereupon positioning the cap with its spiral face in engagement with said spiral thread, and then exercising an outwardpressure on the axially extending flange to roll the same around said spiral thread.

14. The combination of a cap partly tubular and a collapsible tube free partially to rotate relative to one another into open and closed position, said tube being open at its lower end before being filled and tubular at its upper end, said tubular upper end having a spiral seat along its tubular free edge with a surface connecting the ends of the spiral seat and a flange extending inwardly from the spiral seat and connecting surface, said cap having a spiral face along its tubular free edge with a second face conecting the ends of said spiral face, and an axially extending moldable flange along the inner edge of said spiral face pressed around the inwardly extending flange of said spiral seat to anchor said cap to said body for partial rotation relative to one another.

15. The combination of a cap partly tubular and a collapsible tube free partially to rotate relative to one another to form an opening or not between them, said tube being open at its lower end before being filled and tubular at its upper to anchor said cap to said body for partial rotation relative to one another.

16. The combination of two tubular valve elements having co-acting spiral seats for limited axial movement relative to one another, interruptions in said valve elements registering with one another in one axial position of said valve. elements to form a valve opening and angularly removed from one another in another axial position of said valve elements to close the valve, a radially extending flange adjacent one of said spiral seats, and a moldable flange formed initially to extend axially along the inner edge of the other of said seats and moldable to be pressed outward around the adjacent radially extending flange to anchor said valve elements to one another for partial rotation relative to one another.

17. The combination of two valve elements having co-acting spiral faces for limited axial movement relative to one another, interruptions in said valve elements clearing one another in one axial position of said valve elements to form a valve opening and angularly moved from such position into another axial position of said valve elements to close the valve, a thread forming seat on one of said valve elements co-axial with and having a predetermined pitch relative to the spiral face on said latter valve element, and a moldable fiange on the other valve element formed initially to extend axially along an edge of said thread forming seat and moldable to be pressed laterally to engage the latter thread forming seat to position said valve elements for partial rotation relative to one another.

18. The method of anchoring two valve elements to one another for a limited axial movement to form a permanently connected closure for an opening between the two valve elements consisting in forming a spiral thread forming seat and a spiral valve seat on one of said valve elements co-axial with one another, forming on the other of said valve elements a second spiral valve seat conforming to said first spiral valve seat and also a flange initially to extend axially alongside of an edge of said first valve seat, thereupon positioning the valve elements with their valve seats in engagement with one another, and then exercising a lateral pressure on the axially extending flange to roll the same around the spiral thread forming seat of the other valve element.

JAMES HANSEN. 

